The war is back. Like before, but worse. The pain from the 2024 conflict, which never really ended, is now made even heavier by the recent heavy bombardments, pushing people into despair and forcing them to leave their homes.
In southern Lebanon, the humanitarian emergency has returned: people are fleeing north, seeking refuge with relatives or in schools converted into temporary shelters for displaced families. They need food, water, and essential supplies.
The impact of the massive attack on Lebanon is clear: there are now over 500,000 displaced people who have left the 225 villages under evacuation orders, fearing they may never see their homes again, as a ground operation to occupy these areas has been announced.
Less than 72 hours after the start of large-scale bombardments, we launched an emergency response: a fundraising campaign is active to provide essential supplies to the displaced population.
Since the ceasefire in November 2024, not a single day has passed without attacks on the country. But the scale of the recent military operations is entirely different: we are back to the level of the escalation before the truce, reminiscent of those intense two and a half months. Attacks are now intensive and nationwide, mainly in southern Lebanon, but also in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut, which continues to be hit.
The south emptied progressively from the first hours, but some remain. Some refuse to leave their homes out of fear of never finding them again, while others lack the means to leave. Four of our colleagues have chosen to stay in Marjayoun, where we have an office.
People are seeking refuge mainly in Beirut and the Mount Lebanon area. Some stay in the south, in Sayda, a Sunni town in the northern part of the southern governorate, and then move north. Those with relatives in safer parts of the country seek refuge with them. Many others have nowhere to go and take shelter in public centers. Over 300 public schools have been converted into temporary shelters, as happened during the 2024 war.
For a week now, we have been operating in full “emergency response” mode: priorities have suddenly shifted. Currently, we provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people or those forced to remain in conflict areas. All humanitarian actors – the United Nations, NGOs, the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs, AVSI – have coordinated to respond to the emerging needs.
What is urgently needed now is water, food, essential supplies, blankets, and mattresses, to ensure dignified shelter for those forced to leave their homes at a moment’s notice.
The team of the Distance Support Program stays in contact with families through phone calls and WhatsApp groups to understand their situation and needs. To support them, we provide various services: guidance on available shelters, psychological support through social workers with a dedicated helpline, and information on available resources and how to access them.
I see great exhaustion among people, even more than during the previous war. No one expected everything to start over, overnight. The population is worn out: Lebanon has been under continuous attack and had not yet returned to normal. There is frustration, there is anger, certainly.
In the south, we have many ongoing projects: educational support for children; psychosocial support; and rehabilitation of infrastructure damaged in the last war.
But we cannot carry them out safely for ourselves, our staff, or the communities we serve.
One thing is certain: we will do everything possible to stay by the side of those in need.